


Late Night Calls

by Dafna1833



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Coda, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2019-01-17 03:09:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12356217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dafna1833/pseuds/Dafna1833
Summary: Keith's separation from the team from Lance's point of view.Spoilers up to S4E1.





	Late Night Calls

Keith has been kind of distant lately. You talk more often, now that you are friends. You hang out in the lounge together, perform maintenance of the lions together, you are more in sync on the missions than you ever have been.

 

At some point, Keith starts to participate in Blade of Marmora missions, going away for a couple of days. After the second mission, you’ve set up something of an alien Skype with the help of Pidge.

 

So now you can talk even while Keith’s away. You still discuss the same topics: Pidge’s and Hunk’s shenanigans, plans for Voltron coalition, when will Allura and Shiro finally get together. But sometimes, you notice how he sounds way more excited about the missions he performs with the Galra rather than the missions he performs with his friends. 

 

You try not to be too offended by this. You’ve known from the start that Keith suffers from severe case of tunnel vision when trying to achieve his goal, and for the past few months his only goal was to capture Lotor. You understand that the Blade is making a lot more headway rather than Voltron in that department, but still. It hurts to be set aside. 

 

You can see the cracks when Keith starts to slip up. No person can be in two places at the same time, and no matter how much Keith tries to, something big will slip through, and soon. You don’t think that the Galra will be considerable enough not to attack the Castle when one of the paladins is not home. 

 

When it does happen, you are still surprised. Hurt, that Keith didn’t think this mission important enough to be here. You feel offended: a member of your team (the best team in the universe) found some other “gang” he would rather join. 

 

But when the Black Lion comes out of its hanger, all those feeling immediately go away. Suddenly, you’re elated, so happy you feel like you can move faster than Red, faster than any Galra ship, that you can defeat them all by yourself, no need for help from giant robot cats. But Shiro’s voice comes out of the speakers, and at first you don’t understand. Even though Shiro has been head of Voltron first, it feels like the voice doesn’t belong there. Shiro does not fit in that spot anymore. That place belongs to Keith. Why is he not there? 

 

You quickly snap out of it and try to feel somewhat happy that your old (and, honestly, in many ways better) leader is back. But something is missing. Shiro’s a great leader, but you’ve become used to feeling a friend, rather than a superior officer in your head. Keith occupied a space of an equal, not that of a commander. 

 

When the battle is over, and Keith does come back, you’re angry. You though that you already went through this, that you’ve talked and decided that Keith won’t do this anymore. Won’t put the team in jeopardy. That he promised he’ll get you all home. 

 

Instead of assuring you all that this will never happen again and letting you forget all about this horrible night, he does something even worse. He leaves the team.

 

So that night you call him anyway. You ask him. You demand answers, ask questions like _what the hell do you think you’re doing Keith,_ and _how could you do this to us_ , and saying things you know will hurt him like _if_ _you want to be a leader, this_ _is exactly what a good leader would_ _NOT do._ And he replies _I’m sorry,_ and _Lance, please let me explain,_ and _DON’T YOU GET THAT I’M DOING THIS SO THAT YOU CAN GET HOME SOONER_. 

 

You stop talking at this point. You’re both crying, ugly, angry tears streaming down both your faces. You turn off the screen, because you can’t look at his face. 

 

But later, when you keep twisting and turning, being unable to fall asleep, you’re thinking _what if you’re not the only one who’s feeling too much pressure_. What if Keith, who’s the same exact age as you, is not ready to feel that kind of responsibility for the only people he ever considered family. What if Keith considers that going away, being a follower rather than a leader, is the only way to actually get through this war sane.

 

What if this is Keith’s only way to make it home?

 

You call him again next time. It takes three calls for him to finally pick up. You stare at each other in silence, and while you do not forgive him for abandoning you, you understand where he’s coming from. You want him to go home too.


End file.
